To Kill A Chieftain
by Jet556
Summary: There is evil in Wilusa. With the aid of a mysterious troll named Grygory Grygion, four Evabon seek to usurp their chieftain Piyamaradu.
1. My airs are a blaze for a chief's pyre

**Welcome everyone. This is a little four-parter I dreamed up. Starting with this story, we are introduced to our antagonists. Enjoy and review.**

" **My airs are a blaze for a chieftain's pyre"**

In the dark of night, four conspirators met. They were Piyaamradu's brother Pamba, Ridoldo the Bard, Dukalon the Homunculus and Enaros, the former champion of Wilusa. Four were there but a fifth that only they knew of had yet to appear.

"It is arranged then! At midnight Chieftain Piyamaradu must expire!" spoke Dukalon. He was a blue Evabon of thirty-two years and a height of four feet and five inches. He was had chubby legs, an overhanging forehead, a dark left eye and a green right eye, dark hair, a beard and an abhorrent facial scar that had removed his nose.

"Aye, Aye. We all concur to that, Dukalon! But advise us. Where is the one who contacted you? The one you say coined this conspiracy we set into motion?" This time it was Pamba who had spoke. He had put on some weight and his beard and mustache had gained some length.

"He'll be here, Lord Pamba. Never fear." The sound of Ridoldo at his instrument caused Dukalon to turn to the bard. "In the name of the Mother, Ridoldo. Will you conclude that abiding plunkering?"

"This is a time for daggers, not music!" added Enaros. A forty-two year old gold skinned Evabon with a baldhead, dark eyes and a muscular body Enaros was one of the oldest of the conspirators.

"You will have daggers, Enaros, as shall we all and it will be those and not doggerel that kill the Chieftain of Evabon." Commented Dukalon.

"My airs are a blaze for a chieftain's pyre." Replied Ridoldo, his mad eyes staring with such a fury that two meanings of the word 'mad' could be seen on this green Evabon dressed in a buffoon's habiliment. His habiliment was of excellent materials and fantastic appearance. His jacket had been stained a bright purple color. To the jacket was added a short cardinal of crimson fabric lined with bright yellow. Upon his arms were grayish armlets and on his neck a bertha of the same material. Upon his feet was a pair of sandals and on his legs a sort of gaiters, the left being damask and the right yellow. On his head Ridoldo wore a cap and at his waist hung a brand. "We are lucky Piyamaradu is not the sort to place heads on poles should we fail."

"Our heads, bard?" asked Pamba. "Were my brother of that sort he wouldn't dare execute me and Dukalon. We who are the descendants of heroes have a better chance of living than youself and Enaros."

That comment only caused Enaros to stand up and grab Pamba by the throat. "I wouldn't mind your arrogance, Pamba, if you weren't so barefaced about it!" He spat. "The thought of you as Chieftain of Evabon, even as a cipher makes the thought of banishment all the better. Why I ought to gut you right now!"

"Silence you fools!" hushed Dukalon. "Someone approaches!" Indeed the footsteps of someone approaching could be heard.

"Our arcane backer, no doubt." Commented Enaros. "But still…"

"Weapons ready!" exclaimed Ridoldo. "If it be not he then whoever it is shall lay dead in a ditch."

"It will be quick then, Ridoldo, for my brand is dipped in bane." Stated Dukalon.

"Like your parlance, my dear dwarf. Like your many forked tongue." Said the stranger. A small person, similar in appearance to a Bolkin or a Wolo, the person was without a doubt a troll.

"Ah, my fellow collaborators. Allow me to introduce the concluding aspect in our well laid plans: he calls himself Grygory Grygion." Dukalon's introduction caused raised brows from the other three. Was this the Homunculus' idea of a joke?

"Pray be ensconced, cavaliers." Dukalon alone took a seat, on a nearby rock, while the rest remained standing. Grygion merely continued on. "I may not look it but I am more powerful than you can possibly imagine. When all is done, Piyamaradu will be dead and Pamba here will be Chieftain of Evabon."


	2. When I was your father's student

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

" **When I was your father's student…"**

Wilusa was very much nearly empty with so many warriors having left to fight at Sengann. Piyamaradu, sitting beneath the Setanta tree, prayed for a long time. He prayed for Brigid and Henti's return, for the return of many of their warriors, he prayed for the safety of the foolhardy boy that was his mentor's grandson.

Sitting not far from Piyamaradu was Pwyll, Balor's father. He stared at the blind chieftain, thinking about how easy it could be to make Piyamaradu's death seem like an illness, or even as an accident. And yet Pwyll knew that if he were to kill Piyamaradu, if Piyaamradu were todie even if it wasn't him, then his protection from any vengeful Evabon who sought to slay Pwyll for his vile deeds would be able to without any punishment and no doubt all would wish to.

"When I was tour father's student…" said Piyamaradu, speaking to Pwyll. "Ah, yes… Now those were days I could pass my knowledge of to your son Balor… I had grown proud, thinking that with my shamanistic abilities I could make myself master of the world… It cost me my eyes to discover humbleness."

"My son is a bastard…" spoke Pwyll. "He is not worthy of a chieftain's time. Let me teach him what I know."

"When has it ever mattered amongst us if one's parents were married or not? True, we frown upon defilement but why should we treat a child so poorly because of their begetting? What would you do to Balor? Treat him like a serf?"

"You know very well that concept of serfdom does not exist amongst our culture." Replied Pwyll. "I would have him bound into a pool of water that went up to his neck! See how long it took for him to get free! What I know—"

"What you know, is the ways of the blackguard." Stated Piyamaradu. "Here in Wilusa, under my reign you are in a city of peace. You must find the path of the champion, the path of redemption. Balor will lead you down that path."

As if by magic, Balor came running into the garden. The eight-year-old boy ran to Piyamaradu and knelt down.

"Chieftain Piyaamradu…" he said, breathing as if he had done much running. "Gard sends word from Sengann."

"Speak it then." Piyamaradu placed a hand on Balor's head. "Then rest awhile once you have."

"He believes your brother Pamba, Ridoldo the Bard, Dukalon the Homunculus and Enaros mean to murder you this night." Stated Balor, his breathing slowing down.

"For what reason?" asked Piyaamradu.

"One of Wilusa's casualties is Dukalon's man Volmana." Explained Balor. "And it is known that Volmana only ever went anywhere on Dukalon's orders therefore it must have been because of some sinister motive."

In silence, Piyamaradu thought. So, Pamba meant to act this day did he? Piyamaradu would not spill the blood of his fellow Wilusans and given Pamba's nature that was growing more craven day by day there was no possibility that Pamba would be present. It would be only Ridoldo, Dukalon and Enaros.

"Very good, son." Piyamaradu patted Balor's head. "Now, get thee to the house that your cousin Llud goes home. Rest." Once Balor had gone, Piyamaradu was forced to turn his attention to Pwyll. "Pwyll, you know the ways of the warrior?"

"Aye, I do…"

"Then I ask for your services to defend me."

"And if I give you them?"

"If you give them to me and you succeed then I will teach Balor just as your father taught me the ways of shamanism."

Going silent, Pwyll thought for a short time. It would be good if Balor were to be taught by one that had been taught by his grandfather… Yes, what better way could there be? Give Balor a better chance to become Chieftain of Evabon by becoming Piyamaradu's apprentice. Yes, Pwyll would give his services.


	3. Why have they a troll?

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

" **Why have they a troll?"**

When Balor awoke, he felt as he usually did when he slept during the day. His head was feeling such a way that he could not describe. It was like a headache if one could indeed call this a headache.

As he walked out of Llud's home, Balor saw some other children his age playing with a ball. There were no hurling sticks to be seen so Balor was quite certain that there was no danger of him accidentally being hit by one.

"Balor!" One of them called, a brown boy named Chinggis. He was a red haired, green-eyed Evabon giving him a most strange appearance overall. "You missed Dukalon, Enaros and Ridoldo come by with a troll!"

"Why have they a troll?" asked Balor.

"We don't know but he is very much more amusing to look at than Dukalon!" commented a girl. Her comment only caused Balor to tense up a bit. Having a slight curve in his spine and an eye that was permanently half way closed, Balor sympathized with the dwarfish Dukalon.

"Where did they go?"

"To the garden!" replied Chinggis.

"The garden?" asked Balor. It was then he realized what was going on and also remembered that trolls were a myth and thus the troll could not have been real, something that was often forgotten. "Did the troll look like something in a mask?"

Chinggis shook his head. "No, it looked quite real."

Trolls were a myth and yet this one did not look like a thing in the mask, or so Chinggis said. If it did indeed look real then there must have been some sort of creature that was not of the natural world.

If it were something of the unnatural world then surely it must have been some sort of a monster or an ogre or something that had taken on such a form. Whatever it was, Piyaamradu would have to be warned that the conspirators had the aid of some supernatural abomination on their side taking the form of a minuscule myth.

"To the garden you say?" asked Balor, once more.

Chinggis nodded. "Yes, to the garden. Now come and play ball with us!"

Balor bowed his head and backed away. "I wish I could but I have to see Piyaamradu."


	4. Impressive, for an Evabon

**Welcome back everyone. I hate using a Deus ex Machina but I realized with Piyamaradu a pacifist, Pwyll being unconscious and Balor being a child I was left no other choice. Enjoy and review.**

" **Impressive, for an Evabon…"**

At the entrance of the garden, Pwyll stood with brand and twibill in hand. As the conspirators, minus Pamba, and Grygory Grygion came walking up to him, all of them save for the troll armed.

"Forward and annihilate him, blockheads!" exclaimed Grygory, pointing a finger at Pwyll. "He is but one to our four!"

Enaros, armed with brand and buckler, was the first to rush forward. He was doubtless the bravest of Pwyll's foes this day. It was only right that Enaros be the first of the conspirators to die.

Enaros attacked with his brand. Pwyll blocked with his twibill then brought both brand and twibill down through Enaros' helmet and into his braincase.

It was then that Pwyll felt a dagger prick at his left side. It was Ridoldo, armed with brand and the dagger had just plunged into his left side… If only it had gone deeper. If only he had not stopped at it piercing the skin, thinking that would be enough. So it was that Pwyll brought his axe down and spilled Ridoldo's cerebrum in pieces to the ground.

And then there was Dukalon, standing at a distance with only a brand.

"Stand aside, Pwyll, and you might live yet. I do not wish to rob your son of his father. I sympathize with him, he who is with a small curve in his spine and a slightly deformed face, for I who had finished growing before I was done am just as much an aberration as he could give him a great status."

"I have plans for him, Dukalon. No one can sway me from those plans nor can you from the thunderbolt that is this brand!" Pwyll through his brand and it struck Dukalon in the stomach. There was no hope for him. Three conspirators were dead, Pamba was elsewhere and now there was this thing.

"Impressive, for an Evabon..." commented Grygory.

"You are too kind for whatever you are."

"I am a troll."

"I have not believed in such things since infancy!" scoffed Pwyll. Right he was for this was no myth but something from the stars.

A demon.

A demon named Mumm-Ra.

Returning to his true form, Mumm-Ra quickly swatted Pwyll away. The son of Wodanaz lived yet he was unconscious.

Making his way into the garden, Mumm-Ra found Piyamaradu sitting beneath the Setanaa tree. This would be swift.

"Before you strike, tell me why you are here." Insisted Piyamaradu.

"I have come to avenge my army's defeat here at Wilusa." Stated Mumm-Ra. His red eyes looked into the blank eyes of the blind chieftain. "I will not have savages sing their songs of their victory over me."

"You should have come yourself then."

"I'm here now." The Demon extended a hand. "And I will rectify my mistake now!"

"And what then?" asked Piyamaradu.

"Your people will follow their conqueror!"

The response from the blind shaman was one of laughter. It was absurd. "That day will never come. Nor will you ever be the one to kill me."

Mumm-Ra glared and grabbed Piyamaradu by the neck. "You're stalling."

"So there is a brain in there. I thought the embalmers had removed it from the nose." Piyamaradu smiled. He felt it coming. He had heard the clamor. He had heard the talking. It would have been faster to just do it all himself. And yet Piyamaradu wondered if Mumm-Ra wanted Pamba's co-conspirators out of the way. "It might still be night but you'll feel a sting similar to the light of day soon enough."

And down it came. A dagger, the same dagger Ridoldo had been using. It went through Mumm-Ra's right wing, leaving one more hole in it.

The Demon turned and in a tree was Balor. He was impressed but that feeling soon passed.

"Are you so loyal to your chieftain that you'd challenge me, boy?" asked Mumm-Ra. Balor did not respond. He merely kept a brave face. "Very well then, look your last upon the night sky!"

Mumm-Ra would have killed Balor if not at that moment Procyon appeared. It was impossible and yet he was there.

"You!" exclaimed Mumm-Ra.

"The same." Procyon rose his sword and yet he did not bring it down. "You are the reason I died but I will have you know revenge is beneath me. Defending my family from your lot isn't. If you wish to live, leave or so help me you'll join your lackeys."

To face one of a higher power would be unwise. Mumm-Ra was left with no choice but to leave Wilusa. Yet Procyon could not protect Wilusa forever. One day, the Ancient Spirits of Evil would make any who had ascended to a state such as theirs blind. And when that day came… Mumm-Ra would rule all.

And yet Piyamaradu cared not. He lived, Pwyll had protected him to the best of his abilities there was now only one conspirator… And he would keep his word. Balor would be his apprentice.

 **The End**


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